6 Amazing Fall Drives in Wyoming

Wyoming’s byways are pristine alleyways through the state’s fall landscape, when deciduous beauties dressed in shades of yellow, gold and red flourish among crisp autumn air and cooler temperatures. Below is a list of a few scenic byways to view Wyoming’s best fall foliage.

Besides taking in Wyoming’s best views from your vehicle, we have other ideas to help you find the perfect place to view Wyoming’s fall colors and celebrate summer’s end in Wyoming, including events, road trips and much more.

Length: 68 miles
Wind through Custer, Shoshone and Gallatin National Forests for breathtaking views of the morphing aspens in late September. A recent inductee into the National Register of Historic Places, Beartooth is Wyoming’s highest paved road. The byway starts in Montana and runs into the northeast entrance of Yellowstone National Park; motorists can access the route in Wyoming via the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway.

Length: 47 miles
Gain views of the Big Horn Mountains framed by yellow- and gold-hued aspens on the Cloud Peak Skyway, the southern-most route across the Bighorn National Forest. Access the byway at Ten Sleep from the west or Buffalo from the east.

Length: 78 miles
A mix of evergreen and deciduous trees in the Black Hills National Forest facilitate a dark green landscape splashed with pockets of bright color. The byway rests at the western gateway to the sprawling Black Hills, a small mountain range that extends from western South Dakota to Wyoming. Rolling native grass prairies and opportunities to encounter roaming wildlife also contribute to the brilliant drive.

Length: 100 miles
From tree-studded mountain peaks to high desert and open-shrub vegetation, Flaming Gorge - Green River Basin Byway provides an excellent sampling of autumn’s colorful affect on Wyoming’s diverse landscapes. Jump on the route just west of Rock Springs and keep your eye out for herds of mule deer, pronghorn antelope and wild horses.

Length: 34 miles
Encounter an area rich in geologic history and beauty on this road less traveled running through a mostly unpaved section of the Big Horn Basin. The route includes Red Gulch Road, where you can see the red hills of the 230-million-year-old Chugwater Formation, the 13,000-foot Big Horn Mountains and country inhabited by Paleo-Indian mammoth hunters 12,000 years ago — all framed by fiery-colored prairie in the fall.

Length: 80 miles
Snow-capped mountain peaks and reflective lakes facilitate supreme fall-foliage viewing in Star Valley. Climb Salt River Canyon and Salt River Pass and complete your journey at the summit of Snake River Canyon to see Mother Nature’s glowing fall display from 7,610 feet. See a complete list of scenic byways and backways in Wyoming.